Thursday, May 5, 2011

Growing Readers

I hold Reader's Workshop in my classroom each day.My goal has been to grow some readers by giving my students some solid, protected reading time. I then conference with each student about 1-2 times a week and talk about what they're reading. We discuss new titles and they tell me about the plot of their book, the characters, and they make some predictions. With some students we discuss literary devices and narration formats.These are third graders!!Yippee!

I want to stand and say that Reader's Workshop has been a huge success in my class this year!

The conferences (and going to our in- class library) are their favorite things.The students love getting "in the zone" everyday. They protect their reading time and nothing gets in their way!!I'm happy to report that many of them have jumpedon the Book Group bandwagon.

I held Book Group every Wednesday in the classroom at lunchtime starting in November.The kids loved it but I was the "driver."I wanted them to get an idea of how to "talk" about and to books.Well, guess what?Now they "drive!"Students have started asking if they can come in each week to meet in the classroom during lunch for various reading groups that they start with each other.They even sign up for days several weeks in advance.Of course I say, "YES!"and the students come in small groups,sitting at various tables around the room.They laugh and talk books.The other day one boy exclaimed, "Victoria chose the best book, Mrs. V. Isn't it amazing how she knew what I'd like? Isn't reading great?!?!"Can you hear my heart pounding?!?! It happened. I'm growing some readers!!

Today I had the best conference of all.One small red-haired bug had scheduled a conference with me wanting to discussHarry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone.She said that she also had another surprise that I would love too.We had a raucous time discussing all the little details aboutHarry and the Dark Lord.We just lost track of time and fell into living and breathing books.We went from one topic to another and before you knew itwe were on to other books.Her surprise for me...when she showed me her current read and then the goal that she had set to learn to write a book blog, "just like real readers do!"When she got up after our conference was over she looked at me and said, "that was the best conference yet. Don't you just love talking books, Mrs. V?"

Yes, Alexis, I do!!!

( Okay, after a tough end of the school year week I just didn't want to forget how these comments made me feel... :) )